A Comparative Study of Turbulence Models Performance for Turbulent Flow in a Planar Asymmetric Diffuser
This paper presents a computational study of the separated flow in a planer asymmetric diffuser. The steady RANS equations for turbulent incompressible fluid flow and six turbulence closures are used in the present study. The commercial software code, FLUENT 6.3.26, was used for solving the set of governing equations using various turbulence models. Five of the used turbulence models are available directly in the code while the v2-f turbulence model was implemented via User Defined Scalars (UDS) and User Defined Functions (UDF). A series of computational analysis is performed to assess the performance of turbulence models at different grid density. The results show that the standard k-ω, SST k-ω and v2-f models clearly performed better than other models when an adverse pressure gradient was present. The RSM model shows an acceptable agreement with the velocity and turbulent kinetic energy profiles but it failed to predict the location of separation and attachment points. The standard k-ε and the low-Re k- ε delivered very poor results.
[1] Wikipedia, "Computational fluid dynamics [online]", Available at
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Dec. 20, 2008].
[2] Bradshaw P., "Understanding and predictions of turbulent flow - 1996",
Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 18, 1997, pp. 45-54.
[3] Anderson D. A. and Tannehill, J. C. and Pletcher, R. H., "Computational
Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer", Heimsphere Publishing
Corporation, 1984.
[4] http://www.cfd-online.com/Wiki/ Turbulence _ modeling [accessed Dec.
20, 2008].
[5] Versteeg H. K. and Malalasekera W., "An introduction to computational
fluid dynamics, the finite volume method", Longman group Ltd, 1998.
[6] Launder B. E. and Spalding D. P., "The numerical computation of
turbulent flows", Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and
Engineering, Vol. 3, 1974, pp. 269-289.
[7] Launder B. E. and Sharma B. I., "Application of the energy-dissipation
model of turbulence to the calculation of flow near a spinning disc",
Letters in Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 1, 1974, pp. 131-138.
[8] Yakhot, V. and Smith, L. M., "The Renormalization Group, the Epsilon-
Expansion and Derivation of Turbulence Models", J. Scientific
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[9] Wilcox D. C., "Turbulence Modeling for CFD", DCW Industries, La
Canada, California, 1998.
[10] Menter F. R., "Two-Equation Eddy-Viscosity Turbulence Models for
Engineering Applications", AIAA Journal, Vol. 32, 1994, pp. 1598-
1605.
[11] Durbin P. A., "Near-wall turbulence closure modeling without damping
functions", Theoretical and Computational. Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 3,
1991, pp. 1-13.
[12] Launder B. E. and Spalding D. B., "Mathematical Models of
Turbulence", Lectures Notes, Imperial College of Science and
Technology, London, England, 1972.
[13] Patel V. C., Rodi W. and Scheuerer G., "Turbulence models for Nearwall
and low Reynolds number flows: a review", AIAA J., Vol. 23,
1985, pp. 1308-1318.
[14] Fluent, "User-s Guide Fluent 6.3.26", Fluent Incorporated, Lebanon,
NH, 2006.
[15] Lien F-S and Kalitzin G, "Computations of transonic flow with the v2-f
turbulence model", Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow, Vol. 22, 2001, pp. 5361.
[16] Kim J-Y, Ghajar A. J., Clementang and Foutch G. L., "Comparison of
near-wall treatment methods for high Reynolds number backward-facing
step flow", Int. J. Computational fluid dynamics, Vol. 19, 2005, pp. 493-
500.
[17] Obi, S., Aoki, K., and Masuda, S., "Experimental and Computational
Study of Turbulent Separating Flow in an Asymmetric Plane Diffuser,"
Ninth Symposium on Turbulent Shear Flows, Kyoto, Japan, August 16-
19, pp. 305-1 to 305-4, 1993.
[18] Buice, C.U. & Eaton, J.K., "Experimental Investigation of Flow
Through an Asymmetric Plane Diffuser," Journal of Fluids Engineering,
vol. 122, pp. 433-435, 2000.
[19] Kaltenback H. J., Fatica M., Mittal R., Lund T. S., and Moin P., "Study
of the Flow in a Planar Asymmetric Diffuser Using Large Eddy
Simulations", J. Fluid Mech., Vol. 390, 1999, pp. 151-185.
[20] Patankar S. V., "Numerical heat transfer and fluid flow", McGraw-Hill,
New York, USA, 1983.
[21] Iaccarino G., "Predictions of a turbulent separated flow using
commercial CFD codes", Trans. ASME, J. Fluids Engineering, Vol. 123,
2001, pp. 819-828.
[22] DalBello T., "Computational study of separating flow in a planar
subsonic diffuser", NASA TM 2005-213894, 2005.
[23] Törnblom O., "Experimental and computational studies of turbulent
separating internal flows", Doctoral thesis, KTH Mechanics, Stockholm,
Sweden, 2006.
[1] Wikipedia, "Computational fluid dynamics [online]", Available at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki /Computational_ fluid_dynamics, [accessed
Dec. 20, 2008].
[2] Bradshaw P., "Understanding and predictions of turbulent flow - 1996",
Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 18, 1997, pp. 45-54.
[3] Anderson D. A. and Tannehill, J. C. and Pletcher, R. H., "Computational
Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer", Heimsphere Publishing
Corporation, 1984.
[4] http://www.cfd-online.com/Wiki/ Turbulence _ modeling [accessed Dec.
20, 2008].
[5] Versteeg H. K. and Malalasekera W., "An introduction to computational
fluid dynamics, the finite volume method", Longman group Ltd, 1998.
[6] Launder B. E. and Spalding D. P., "The numerical computation of
turbulent flows", Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and
Engineering, Vol. 3, 1974, pp. 269-289.
[7] Launder B. E. and Sharma B. I., "Application of the energy-dissipation
model of turbulence to the calculation of flow near a spinning disc",
Letters in Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 1, 1974, pp. 131-138.
[8] Yakhot, V. and Smith, L. M., "The Renormalization Group, the Epsilon-
Expansion and Derivation of Turbulence Models", J. Scientific
Computing, Vol. 7, 1992, pp. 35-51.
[9] Wilcox D. C., "Turbulence Modeling for CFD", DCW Industries, La
Canada, California, 1998.
[10] Menter F. R., "Two-Equation Eddy-Viscosity Turbulence Models for
Engineering Applications", AIAA Journal, Vol. 32, 1994, pp. 1598-
1605.
[11] Durbin P. A., "Near-wall turbulence closure modeling without damping
functions", Theoretical and Computational. Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 3,
1991, pp. 1-13.
[12] Launder B. E. and Spalding D. B., "Mathematical Models of
Turbulence", Lectures Notes, Imperial College of Science and
Technology, London, England, 1972.
[13] Patel V. C., Rodi W. and Scheuerer G., "Turbulence models for Nearwall
and low Reynolds number flows: a review", AIAA J., Vol. 23,
1985, pp. 1308-1318.
[14] Fluent, "User-s Guide Fluent 6.3.26", Fluent Incorporated, Lebanon,
NH, 2006.
[15] Lien F-S and Kalitzin G, "Computations of transonic flow with the v2-f
turbulence model", Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow, Vol. 22, 2001, pp. 5361.
[16] Kim J-Y, Ghajar A. J., Clementang and Foutch G. L., "Comparison of
near-wall treatment methods for high Reynolds number backward-facing
step flow", Int. J. Computational fluid dynamics, Vol. 19, 2005, pp. 493-
500.
[17] Obi, S., Aoki, K., and Masuda, S., "Experimental and Computational
Study of Turbulent Separating Flow in an Asymmetric Plane Diffuser,"
Ninth Symposium on Turbulent Shear Flows, Kyoto, Japan, August 16-
19, pp. 305-1 to 305-4, 1993.
[18] Buice, C.U. & Eaton, J.K., "Experimental Investigation of Flow
Through an Asymmetric Plane Diffuser," Journal of Fluids Engineering,
vol. 122, pp. 433-435, 2000.
[19] Kaltenback H. J., Fatica M., Mittal R., Lund T. S., and Moin P., "Study
of the Flow in a Planar Asymmetric Diffuser Using Large Eddy
Simulations", J. Fluid Mech., Vol. 390, 1999, pp. 151-185.
[20] Patankar S. V., "Numerical heat transfer and fluid flow", McGraw-Hill,
New York, USA, 1983.
[21] Iaccarino G., "Predictions of a turbulent separated flow using
commercial CFD codes", Trans. ASME, J. Fluids Engineering, Vol. 123,
2001, pp. 819-828.
[22] DalBello T., "Computational study of separating flow in a planar
subsonic diffuser", NASA TM 2005-213894, 2005.
[23] Törnblom O., "Experimental and computational studies of turbulent
separating internal flows", Doctoral thesis, KTH Mechanics, Stockholm,
Sweden, 2006.
@article{"International Journal of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Sciences:61412", author = "Samy M. El-Behery and Mofreh H. Hamed", title = "A Comparative Study of Turbulence Models Performance for Turbulent Flow in a Planar Asymmetric Diffuser", abstract = "This paper presents a computational study of the separated flow in a planer asymmetric diffuser. The steady RANS equations for turbulent incompressible fluid flow and six turbulence closures are used in the present study. The commercial software code, FLUENT 6.3.26, was used for solving the set of governing equations using various turbulence models. Five of the used turbulence models are available directly in the code while the v2-f turbulence model was implemented via User Defined Scalars (UDS) and User Defined Functions (UDF). A series of computational analysis is performed to assess the performance of turbulence models at different grid density. The results show that the standard k-ω, SST k-ω and v2-f models clearly performed better than other models when an adverse pressure gradient was present. The RSM model shows an acceptable agreement with the velocity and turbulent kinetic energy profiles but it failed to predict the location of separation and attachment points. The standard k-ε and the low-Re k- ε delivered very poor results.
", keywords = "Turbulence models, turbulent flow, wall functions,
separation, reattachment, diffuser.", volume = "3", number = "5", pages = "612-12", }
